3 minute read

From the Chair

BY OWEN MENKENSChairman, CANEGROWERS

At CANEGROWERS, we are continually reviewing our performance. We examine what is working and what is not, and most importantly, what we can do better to ensure a positive and profitable future for our members.

Ever since industry deregulation in 2006, CANEGROWERS membership has been entirely voluntary.

As an organisation that has the length of service like CANEGROWERS we can certainly attract some critics. I guess if you are being criticised it often means you have had to make some tough decision. Feedback and being pushed to do better is something we should embrace. This can often extend to being attacked falsely. Our victories are shared, while our failings are held by some for retribution later.

But it is important to remember that CANEGROWERS is a grower led, grass roots organisation. Any characterisation to the contrary is factually wrong. A criticism of the work we do is a criticism of other growers.

We are an organisation of growers representing growers. Every decision we make as an organisation is made by growers.

With 13 district companies, one in each cane-growing district, we represent a diverse and large community of growers. This comes with challenges but also many rewards.

Of the 85 directors spread across those district offices, every single one is a sugarcane grower, while most of the 100+ staff who service the needs of growers every day also have direct links to the industry.

Our state board of directors – all sugarcane growers. And the 19 members of our Policy Council (one for every mill stack in the state) – also all sugarcane growers, as are the members of our industry committees.

Even many of our staff in Brisbane, who carry out the policies set by the board and Policy Council, have links to the industry or other ag sectors and are passionate about achieving the best for members.

Some people would have you believe that CANEGROWERS is some far away, untouchable cohort of people. But that is simply not true. CANEGROWERS is you.

Our work covers a broad range of services, from influencing government, industry partners and other stakeholders, to offering payroll services, legal advice, negotiating Cane Supply Agreements, and so much more.

It's in our DNA to work with other organisations both in and outside the industry.

We use the connections with other industries, in addition to our own considerable clout, to influence state and federal governments on policy that effects our industry.

This process is not always easy but because of our large and widespread membership base we are the best placed to get the desired outcomes.

On the international stage we are the owners of the sugar industry trade policy, and it is up to us to direct the trade minister and the department on what are the best outcomes for the industry.

Our membership of the Global Sugar Alliance (GSA) plays the important role in reducing trade distorting policies that put downward pressure on the world price.

The GSA was instrumental in getting results at the World Trade Organisation against the EU in 2005 and against India in 2019.

These wins had a huge influence on increasing the world sugar price, as it reduced the amount of subsidised sugar that was placed on the world market.

CANEGROWERS is a contract negotiator, a service provider, a trainer, an advocate and the heart and soul of the Queensland sugarcane industry.

CANEGROWERS is here for you and does what our members want us to do. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Let’s work together to keep this industry moving forward.

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